AAMIN TRANSITIONS TO NEW NAME

With support from the American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the Board of Advisors and leadership of the Anti-AIDS Media Network (AAMIN) have announced an amendment to the organization’s name.

The new name of the organization is now called Liberia Health and Rights Journalists Network (LHRJN), consistent with the Non-for-Profit Corporation Act of Part II of the Association Law of Liberia, enacted in 1976 and amended in 1977.

Since 2011, the Anti-AIDS Media Network has operated as an independent, non-For profit organization educating the public on HIV, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and other human rights issues affecting people, especially key and vulnerable populations in the country.

In a statement issued Wednesday, March 30, 2022 in Monrovia, the organization said the amendment was triggered by the desire to expand its activities through a broad-based health journalism that educates the population in making good treatment decisions, be informed about public healthcare and various human rights issues under the Universal Human Rights.

The group said under the new name, it hopes to bring together media practitioners to improve the quality, accuracy and visibility of holistic health and human rights journalism in the mainstream media in the Liberian society.

The statement quotes the organization as saying it intends to seek support from partners to ensure a vibrant, sustained and committed community of health and human rights reporters who are being trained to unearth public health issues, and holding policymakers and state actors accountable to address issues affecting the citizens.

The organization said the launch of the new name is a motivation in calling on stakeholders to ensure that no one is left behind in the provision of healthcare services and human rights protection in the country through a strong policy to address stigma and discrimination.

“Addressing stigma and discrimination which is mostly directed at Persons living with HIV, key populations and marginalized groups will need practical actions from policymakers in ensuring that no new HIV-related discriminatory laws and regulations are passed, existing HIV-related discriminatory laws and regulations are repealed, and 90% of Persons living with HIV and key populations have access to justice and can challenge their rights violations,” the organization emphasized.

Over the years, AAMIN has built partnerships with local partners including the National AIDS Commission, National AIDS Control program, Ministry of Justice, Independent National Commission on Human Rights, Liberia Network of People Living with HIV and a coalition of 17 human rights organizations in the country, under the umbrella Liberia Initiative for the Promotion of Rights, Identity, Diversity and Equality (LIPRIDE) to advocate for the protection of human rights.

The organization has also established partnership with a number of international institutions including the Swedish Embassy, U.S. Embassy, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNOHCHR), United Nations Joint Program on AIDS (UNAIDS) to ensure a sustained education on the creation of an environment that protects every human being rights.